New faces fail to stop Daventry's slide down the table

Stalwart Ricky Hill was given the captain’s arm band for Saturday’s 5-0 Division One South defeat and two more new faces arrived. Midfielder Jean Dakouri was signed hours before kick-off from Gresley Rovers and striker Jetmir Esso arrived from Rugby Town.

Mitchell Griffiths crossed for Mathew Cotton to head straight at Ben Heath who was also produced a point blank save from Jack McGovern.

Lincoln went ahead in the 14th minute, a cross from Andrew Toyne found the unmarked Cotton who placed his header down low to Heath’s left. The second goal arrived four minutes later, McGovern scoring the first of his two goals with a speculative looping shot which went in between Heath and the bar.

Daventry contributed their first meaningful effort on goal when Edilson Panzo-Antonio thumped a shot into the hoardings failing to trouble keeper Richard Walton.

Heath made yet another fine save from McGovern but he was not to be denied his second goal in the 45th minute, heading past the Daventry keeper unopposed from a corner kick. McGovern was denied a first half hat-trick in stoppage-time when he hit a rasping shot which came back off the post into the arms of keeper Heath.

Four minutes after the restart Grffiths was allowed to run at the Daventry goal unopposed to beat a scrambling Heath and put the game well beyond Daventry.

Heath produced another fantastic finger-tip save from Robert Norris before Daventry substitute Jetmir Esso thumped a shot narrowly wide. Gary King bagged the fifth goal in the 75th minute when he picked up a loose ball on the edge of the area before blasting his shot past a helpless Heath.

Scott Cross had a shot cleared off the line but it was Lincoln who threatened to score their sixth as the game petered out in the wet, cold muddy conditions.

It doesn’t ghet any easier for Foster’s boys, on Tuesday Daventry host second-placed Coalville Town who beat bottom club Tividale 3-1 on Saturday.